YouBot: A Simple Framework for Building Virtual Networking Agents

This paper proposes a simple framework for building 'virtual networking agents'; programs that can communicate with users and collect information through the internet. These virtual agents can also communicate with each other to share information that one agent does not have. The framework - 'YouBot' - provides basic functions such as protocol handling, authentication, and data storage. The behavior of the virtual agents is defined by a task processor ('TP') which can be written in a lightweight language such as JavaScript. It is very easy to add new functions to a virtual agent. The last part of this paper discusses the micro-blog system 'twitter' and other web services as information sources that a virtual agent can utilise to make its behavior more suited to the user.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: SIGDIAL
• Authors: Seiji Takegata, Kumiko Tanaka-Ishii
• Keywords: Information, Natural Language Processing, SIGDIAL 2010, Simple Framework, Virtual Agent